The Toxic Avenger to star Nancy Opel

Tony Award-nominee Nancy Opel will be reunited with her Tony Award-winning 'Urinetown director,' John Rando, when she stars in the new musical, The Toxic Avenger.

Opel was nominated for a Tony for her performance as 'Penelope Pennywise' in 'Urinetown' (2001). Some of her other Broadway credits include 'Fiddler on the Roof' (Yente: 2004 revival), 'Triumph of Love' (Corine: revival) and 'Teddy & Alice' (Eleanor Roosevelt: 1987). She was nominated for both a Lucille Lortel Award and Drama Desk for her last off-Broadway appearance in the MTC's production of David Ives' 'Polish Joke' (2003).

The casting was announced by the show�s producers, Jean Cheever and Tom Polum. Opel, who created her role in the show�s world premiere at George Street Playhouse (New Brunswick, New Jersey), plays the mayor of a mythical small New Jersey town (not dissimilar to a real-life former mayor of a small Alaska town).

Jean Cheever and Tom Polum will present The Toxic Avenger, a new musical by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You�re Perfect, Now Change) & David Bryan (Bon Jovi), with direction by John Rando.

Featuring book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You�re Perfect, Now Change) & music by David Bryan (Bon Jovi), with direction by John Rando, The Toxic Avenger will open at New World Stages / Stage 1 on 6 Apr 2009, following previews from 18 Mar, and is selling through to 6 Sep 2009.

Based on the classic 1985 cult film by Lloyd Kaufman, Toxic Avenger premiered this fall at Jersey's George Street Playhouse, where the show became the biggest grossing musical in the theatre�s 34 year history.

Toxic Avenger: Set in the mythical town of Tromaville, Exit 13B off the New Jersey Turnpike. An aspiring earth scientist, Melvin Ferd the Third, is determined to clean up the town�s burgeoning toxic waste, until he is tossed into a vat of radioactive goo and emerges as a seven-foot mutant freak and New Jersey�s first superhero. Armed with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark, he�s out to save New Jersey, end global warming and woo Sarah, the prettiest, blindest librarian in town.

Toxic Avenger marks Bryan and DiPietro�s second collaboration. Complete casting and the design team will be announced shortly.